Verified Services

Nov 7

Good morning, Father.
I think it has been awhile since I have been up this early in the morning, making full use of the “free internet time” between 2 and 8am. I think the time change helped, lol. And I am starting to feel more anxiety deep inside me, nervous about leaving the safety of my sister’s house in just over a week, to travel back south into the Unknown. Lord, I thank you for this awesome time where I have gotten more love and acceptance from my family than I think I have ever had. I thank you for giving me my sister, the closest thing I ever had to a “real mom”. It has been wonderful getting to know her, helping her, and being helped. It has been awesome watching her interact with my Mate, and growing to accept him as well. I know that you will take good care of me wherever I go, Shepherd, even if I have to face some sufferings of body or heart. That’s okay. I know you still love me and are faithfully caring for me, no matter what. Life isn’t easy, but you make it very simple. You always give me ENOUGH to survive and even to grow. I give you all my silly human fears of the Unknown, Lord. I trust you completely.

James 5:1-18 ERV

You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you.
Your riches will rot and be worth nothing. Your clothes will be eaten by moths.
Your gold and silver will rust, and that rust will be a proof that you were wrong. That rust will eat your bodies like fire. You saved your treasure in the last days.
People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries.
Your life on earth was full of rich living. You pleased yourselves with everything you wanted. You made yourselves fat, like an animal ready for the day of slaughter.
You showed no mercy to good people. They were not against you, but you killed them.
Brothers and sisters, be patient; the Lord will come. So be patient until that time. Look at the farmers. They have to be patient. They have to wait for their valuable crop to grow and produce a harvest. They wait patiently for the first rain and the last rain.
You must be patient too. Never stop hoping. The Lord is coming soon.
Brothers and sisters, don’t complain against each other. If you don’t stop complaining, you will be judged guilty. And the Judge is ready to come!
Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They suffered many bad things, but they were patient.
And we say that those who accepted their troubles with patience now have God’s blessing. You have heard about Job’s patience. You know that after all his troubles, the Lord helped him. This shows that the Lord is full of mercy and is kind.
My brothers and sisters, it is very important that you not use an oath when you make a promise. Don’t use the name of heaven, earth, or anything else to prove what you say. When you mean yes, say only “yes.” When you mean no, say only “no.” Do this so that you will not be judged guilty.
Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing.
Are you sick? Ask the elders of the church to come and rub oil on you in the name of the Lord and pray for you.
If such a prayer is offered in faith, it will heal anyone who is sick. The Lord will heal them. And if they have sinned, he will forgive them. So always tell each other the wrong things you have done. Then pray for each other. Do this so that God can heal you. Anyone who lives the way God wants can pray, and great things will happen.
Elijah was a person just like us. He prayed that it would not rain. And it did not rain on the land for three and a half years!
Then Elijah prayed that it would rain. And the rain came down from the sky, and the land grew crops again.

Lord, I really cannot think of anything in particular that I have done wrong that I have not already confessed to you, usually to my Mate as well. Still, I lift my doubtful anxiety up to you, knowing that it serves no purpose other than to try to get me to doubt your faithful care and your protection and provision. I do not wish to linger in that anxiety, Lord, so I give it to you, confessing my weakness in this thing, my human frailty that tries to cling to the comfort zones in our lives. Instead, I look forward to growing, Lord. I look forward to learning new things about you, your creation, your people, and your chosen path for little me. Please help me to be faithful to you and not stumble. Help me to walk boldly forward, into the Unknown and down every path you choose for me. Help me to always be aware of ways in which I can help others, and ALL the ways in which I can be faithful to you. That is my greatest desire, and I believe your promise, that I will be filled. Thank you, Shepherd. I am following — lead on!